Borough of Roosevelt -- This borough, formerly situated in the extreme northeastern part of the
township of Woodbridge, was erected in 1906, and contains about five miles square. It is bounded
north by the Rahway River; east and south by Staten Island Sound; and west by Woodbridge Township.
Originally it was called Carteret, in honor of the first colonial governor of the Province (of East
Jersey), and was so recognized by the government when establishing the first postoffice, and the
office continues to be so designated by the postal authorities. When the borough was created, the
name of Roosevelt was adopted. In Revolutionary times Captain Asher FitzRandolph, Peter Noe,
Eliphalet Moore, Benjamin Brown and Robert Burwell (all in the Continental Army), resided in this
locality; and in later years well known residents have been Ralph M. Crowell, Capt. John M. Tufts,
Capt. David Tappen, John Wyckoff, Warren and George Brown, Miles B. Vernon, Daniel C. and William H.
Turner and James Blair.

The history of the borough is that of the township of which it was a part. Its proximity to
navigable waters renders it desirable for transportation purposes, and the Long Branch division of
the New Jersey Central Railroad, the Public Service trolley line, the Fast Line railway to Newark,
and the ferry to Linoleumville, Staten Island, afford abundant means of communication with the
outside world. The growth of the borough has been phenomenal, the two sections of the town,
locally known as Carteret and Chrome, having a population of 11,500. The first important industry
was established in 1881, when the Williams & Clark Company of New York erected a factory on the
site of the present plant and commenced the manufacture of fertilizers from fish. This method was
abandoned after one or two years. In 1890 the American Agricultural and Chemical Company erected
the Liebig Works, and ten years later purchased the Williams & Clark factory, since which time the
two plants have been conducted under the same general management. About 400 men are employed in
the former, and 200 in the older plant, the output of the two being annually $175,000 tons of
finished fertilizers. The Armour Company and the Consumers' Company (the latter a branch of the
Virginia and Carolina Chemical Company, of Richmond), also manufacture fertilizers, each producing
annually about 50,000 tons.

In 1888, August W. Colwell, of New York, built an iron works which he operated for about ten years.
It was acquired by the Wheeler Condenser and Engineering Company, which has uninterruptedly continued
business from that time, employing a large number of men. The officer of the company are: J.J. Brown,
president and manager; H.H. Brown, vice-president; A.W.P. Cramer, secretary; Thomas Bostock, treasurer;
and Roland S. Freeman, superintendent. About 1900, Charles J. and Ferd. E. Canda, of New York,
erected a plant now known as the Chrome Steel Works, where an improved and superior quality of steel
is produced, Morro, son of Ferd. E. Canda, is the manager. The late Charles J. Canda bought a large
tract of land and erected many dwellings. Much of the land is still owned by the family. The United
States Metals and Refining is the successor of the DeLamar Copper Works, and carries on the same
business as its predecessor, with a large force of men. Other branches of business are the Warner
Chemical Company, phosphates and chemicals; Carteret Oil and Refining Company, Mexican Petroleum
Company, Klipstein Dye Works, and the Metal and Thermit Corporation, a detinning plant. The
Bethlehem Steel Corporation owns a large brick building and a tract of land, and its contemplating
the establishment of a manufacturing plant soon.

There are two large and excellently conducted public schools, with Miss Barbara V. Hermann as
supervising principal, and Miss Catharine Hermann, principal of the second school. The two schools
employ forty-two teachers in the regular grades, with special instructors in music, manual training
and drawing, domestic science and physical training; pupils attending, 1,832. The following are
principals churches and their pastors: Presbyterian, Rev. John J. Barsam; Methodist, Rev. George A.
Hill; St. Joseph's (R.C.), Rev. John O'Connor; and St. Mark's (P.E.), Rev. Edward A. Vogt. Thomas
Yorke publishes the "Roosevelt News," and has built up a successful printing business.